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Complications
By Mayo Clinic staffThe cells of carcinoid tumors can secrete hormones and other chemicals, causing a range of complications, including:
- Stomach ulcers. Carcinoid tumors, particularly those in the stomach, can secrete a hormone that increases acid in the stomach, which can lead to ulcers.
- Carcinoid syndrome. Carcinoid syndrome causes redness or a feeling of warmth in your face and neck (skin flushing), chronic diarrhea, and difficulty breathing, among other signs and symptoms.
- Carcinoid heart disease. Carcinoid tumors may secrete hormones that can cause thickening of the lining of heart chambers, valves and blood vessels. This can lead to leaky heart valves, an enlarged heart and heart failure. Carcinoid heart disease can usually be controlled with medications and surgery.
- Cushing's syndrome. A lung carcinoid tumor can produce an excess of a hormone that can cause your body to produce too much of the hormone cortisol.
References
- Kulke MH. Clinical presentation and management of carcinoid tumors. Hematology/Oncology Clinics of North America. 2007;21:433.
- Pasieka JL. Carcinoid tumors. Surgical Clinics of North America. 2009;89:1123.
- Chang BB, et al. Neuroendocrine carcinoma. In: Kantarjian HM, et al. MD Anderson Manual of Medical Oncology. New York, N.Y.: McGraw Hill; 2006. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2790810. Accessed Aug. 6, 2010.
- Lung carcinoid tumor. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/cid/documents/webcontent/003117-pdf.pdf. Accessed Aug. 6, 2010.
- Scherubel H, et al. Neuroendocrine tumors of the stomach (gastric carcinoids) are on the rise: Small tumors, small problems? Endoscopy. 2010;42:664.
- Sitaraman SV, et al. Diagnosis of the carcinoid syndrome and tumor localization. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 3, 2010.
- Jensen RT. Endocrine tumors of the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas. In: Fauci AS, et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 17th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw Hill; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2886966. Accessed Aug. 6, 2010.
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